MP wants ALL men in Bristol DNA screened to find killer

[Janus]

I saw a documentary once about a murder and the police taking DNA samples from every man in a town to rule them out. It wasn't as big as Bristol, granted.

 

They caught the guy in the end. He hadn't volunteered a sample. I can't remember any more details than that.

 

But there is precedent for this.

 

Was that the Colin Pitchfork case?

Apparently he was the first person to be convicted of a crime based on DNA fingerprinting evidence, and the first to be caught as a result of mass DNA screening.

[geared]

It was the first ever case, and the man committed two abhorrent rape/murders of teenage girls.

Since then the public and especially criminals have learnt the basics of DNA identification as well as personal privacy.

 

Since any mass screen can only request people provide a sample, and with a proportion of the population likely to refuse the chances of catching the killer are slim, but the work would be incredibly costly.

[Janus]

If it became law for everyone in the UK (over a certain age) to have their DNA stored on a data base, I`m woundering if this would eventually save a lot of money in respect of crime investigation time. (I would be happy to have my DNA stored)

[geared]

Currently that would fall foul of privacy laws though as the police already aren't allowed to retain a database of DNA information on innocent people.

 

Besides if it was that easy we'd already have a fingerprint database for the entire country.

[Obelix]

Currently that would fall foul of privacy laws though as the police already aren't allowed to retain a database of DNA information on innocent people.

 

They were never allowed to in the first place although it didn't stop them lying to people and building one up.

 

You don't think they are really removing all those profiles and samples they were told to do you?

[geared]

You don't think they are really removing all those profiles and samples they were told to do you?

 

of course not, we all know the police expect us to do as they say and not as they do.

[Ghozer]

And now they have said that, the killer will probably not be there on the testing day, or move or... how would they even know if they got everyone?

[ihpb]

And now they have said that, the killer will probably not be there on the testing day, or move or... how would they even know if they got everyone?

DNA can be analysed and profiled subject to environmental factors to determine hair and eye colour among other factors with connections to grand fathers to sons so there is real scope for broad testing.

[Obelix]

It's very telling it's always assumed to be grandfathers to sons isn't it. As if it's only ever men that seem to be considered for this sort of thing.

[apelike]

DNA can be analysed and profiled subject to environmental factors to determine hair and eye colour among other factors with connections to grand fathers to sons so there is real scope for broad testing.

 

Determining hair and eye colour is of little use though as it varies considerably amongst the population, and does not give much away except hair and eye colour.